terms of the plan, or to timely authorize assurance of payment and clarify his rights
to future benefits under the terms of the plans;"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this General Assembly most fervently urges and encourages
each state legislative body in the nation to enact this resolution, or one similar in
context and form, as a show of solidarity in petitioning the federal government for
greater state authority and responsibility in regulating self-funded employer-based
health plans; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of
Legislative Services to the Honorable Parris N. Glendening, Governor of Maryland;
The Honorable Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., President of the Senate of Maryland; and
the Honorable Casper R. Taylor, Jr., Speaker of the House of Delegates; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of
Legislative Services to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 444 North
Capitol Street, NW., Suite 515, Washington, D.C, 20001; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of
Legislative Services to the President of the United States; the Secretary of the United
States Department of Labor; the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of
Representatives; the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate; and to
the presiding officer of each chamber of each state legislature in the nation; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of
Legislative Services to the Maryland Congressional Delegation: Senators Paul S.
Sarbanes and Barbara A. Mikulski, Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510;
and Representatives Wayne T. Gilchrest, Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., Benjamin L. Cardin,
Albert R. Wynn, Steny Hamilton Hoyer, Roscoe G. Bartlett, Elijah E. Cummings, and
Constance A. Morella, House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515.

Signed May 27, 1999.

Joint Resolution No. 6
(House Joint Resolution No. 8)

A House Joint Resolution concerning

State Regulation of Self-Funded Employer-Based Health Plans

FOR the purpose of requesting the United States Congress to amend the Employment
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to authorize each state to
monitor and to regulate self-funded employer-based health plans in order to
increase access to care, to control costs, and to regulate against abuse by health
plans, and to make a specific amendment to the ERISA; urging other state
legislatures to enact a resolution similar to this resolution; and directing a copy
of this resolution to be forwarded to certain individuals.